Clematis plant named &#39;Evipo065&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  plant with a compact growth habit, profuse, white flowers, and early spring flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial nursery culture. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation from vegetative cuttings.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: cartmanii.

Variety denomination: ‘Evipo065’.

SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED PLANT

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematis plant which originated from a controlled crossing between the female seed parent, an un-named seedling, and the male pollen parent, an un-named seedling. Both parent varieties are non-patented.

The two parents were crossed during the summer of 1995 and the resulting seeds were planted the following winter in a controlled environment in Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom. The new variety named ‘Evipo065’ originated as a single seedling from the stated cross.

The new clematis plant may be distinguished from its female seed parent and male pollen parent by the following characteristics. The new variety has green white reproductive flower parts while the seed parent variety has yellow white reproductive flower parts. The male pollen parent variety grows flowers at 30 cm from the base of the plant, while the new variety is 15 cm from the base of the plant to the flowering portion.

The objective of the hybridization of this clematis plant was to create a new and distinct variety for nursery culture with unique qualities such as:

-   -   1. Uniform and abundant white flowers;     -   2. Vigorous and compact growth, making the variety suitable for         container culture; and     -   3. Improved disease resistance; and     -   4. Very early flowering.

This combination of qualities was lacking in clematis plants that were in commercial cultivation and the qualities have been substantially achieved in the new variety.

‘Evipo065’ was selected by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in their clematis development program in the Channel Islands, United Kingdom in 1996. Asexual reproduction of ‘Evipo065’ by means of vegetative cuttings and traditional layering was first performed by Mogens N. Olesen and Raymond J. Evison in the nursery during the summer of 1996. This initial and subsequent asexual propagations have demonstrated that the characteristics of ‘Evipo065’ are true to type and are transmitted from one generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustrations show as true as is reasonably possible to obtain in color photographs of this type the typical characteristics of the buds, flowers, leaves, and stems, of ‘Evipo065’.

Specifically illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings is a branch with leaves.

FIG. 2 shows open flowers.

FIG. 3 shows two specimens of ‘Evipo065’ flowering in containers. Illustrated plants are 2 years of age.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘Evipo065’, as observed in its growth throughout the flowering period in Denmark. Observed plants were cultivated for a period of 24 months in 24 cm containers. Certain phenotypical characteristics of the variety may vary under different environmental, cultural, agronomic, seasonal, and climatic conditions. Color references are made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) Colour Chart, 2001, except where common terms of color are used.

For a comparison, several physical characteristics of the clematis variety ‘Evipo066’ described and illustrated in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,283 are compared to ‘Evipo065’ in Chart 1.

CHART 1 ‘Evipo065’ ‘Evipo066’ Flower diameter 55 mm 60 mm Tepal margin undulated, with cleft entire, no undulations at apex

-   Flower and flower bud:     -   -   Blooming habit.—The natural flowering period is early April             to May.         -   Pedicel.—Surface Texture: Smooth. Length: 35-45 mm. Color:             Yellow-Green Group 146D. Strength: Moderately strong.         -   Receptacle.—Surface Texture: Smooth. Shape: Funnel. Size: 2             mm (h)×2 mm (w). Color: Yellow-Green Group 146D.         -   Flower arrangement.—Location on vine: Old growth. Borne:             Flowers develop from nodes along the stem.         -   Flower bloom.—Size: On average, flowers are 55 mm in             diameter and 10 mm in depth. Profile: Open flowers are             convex. Fragrance: None. Lasting Quality: Flowers normally             remain 10 days on the plant.         -   Tepals.—Tepal Color: The upper surface and lower is Green             White Group 157B. Tepal overlap: Strong. Quantity: Normally             6 tepals. Size: 27 mm in length by 10 mm wide. Shape:             Individual tepal shape is lanceolate The tepal apex is             rounded with a cleft. The base is acute. Apex Recurvature:             None. Tepal Cross section: Flat. Margins: Entire and             undulated at the apex. Persistence: Tepals drop away             cleanly.         -   Reproductive organs.—Pollen: None observed. Anthers: Size:             About 2 mm in length. Color: Green-White Group 157C.             Quantity: On average, 35. Filaments: Color: Yellow-Green             Group 150D. Length: 10 mm. Pistils: None observed. Seed Head             Characteristics: Not observed. -   Plant:     -   -   Plant form.—Bushy.         -   Plant growth.—Moderately vigorous.         -   Size.—Seasons growth attains 55 cm in height. Average spread             is 60 cm.         -   Stems.—Color: Yellow-Green Group 146B. Mature stems are             Brown Group 200B. Internodes: On average, 60 mm between             nodes. Length: Normally 15 cm from the base of the plant to             the flowering portion of the stem. Diameter: Normally 2 to             4 mm. Texture: Mature stems are generally smooth.         -   Plant foliage.—Leaf characteristics: Evergreen. Arrangement:             Biternate, opposite. Leaf Size: Compound leaves are about 65             mm (l)×60 mm (w). Leaflets are normally 25 mm (l)×8 mm (w).             Abundance: On average 2 leaves per 10 cm of stem. Leaf             Color: Juvenile upper Yellow-Green Group 146A. Juvenile             lower Yellow-Green Group 146A. Mature upper Yellow-Green             Group 147A with intonations of Greyed-Purple Group N186B.             Mature lower Yellow-Green Group 146A. Stipules: Absent.             Petioles: Size: Normally 28 mm in length by 1 to 2 mm             diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color: Yellow-Green Group 147A.             Petioloule: Size: Normally 18 mm in length by 1 to 2 mm             diameter. Texture: Smooth. Color: Yellow-Green Group 147A.             Leaflet Shape: Linear, digitate. The base and apex are             acute. Margin: With 3 to 5 lobes. Surface: The upper and             lower surfaces are smooth. Thickness: Thick. Glossiness:             Glossy.         -   Disease resistance.—Subject to any disease that normally             attacks the species.         -   Cold hardiness.—Trials to date show the variety is hardy to             −10° C.         -   Heat tolerance.—The variety has been found to be suitable             for climate conditions found in the American Horticulture             Society heat zone 7. 

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of clematis plant named ‘Evipo065’, substantially as described and illustrated, due to its abundant white flowers with good keepability, attractive long lasting foliage and compact growth, suitability for production from softwood cuttings in pots, durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable for distribution in the floral industry. 